Tuesday, 19 January 2016

Illuminae // Book Review

So this was the first book I read in 2016 and I had some pretty mixed emotions about it. I went from the verge of boredom, through to "WTFFFFFFF", then about 30 pages to the end I was begging it not to end. And so the story goes (....along with a cheeky bit of sketching I've been up to); 

This afternoon, her planet was invaded.
The year is 2575, and two rival megacorporations are at war over a planet that’s little more than an ice-covered speck at the edge of the universe. Too bad nobody thought to warn the people living on it. With enemy fire raining down on them, Kady and Ezra—who are barely even talking to each other—are forced to fight their way onto an evacuating fleet, with an enemy warship in hot pursuit.
But their problems are just getting started. A deadly plague has broken out and is mutating, with terrifying results; the fleet's AI, which should be protecting them, may actually be their enemy; and nobody in charge will say what’s really going on. As Kady hacks into a tangled web of data to find the truth, it's clear only one person can help her bring it all to light: the ex-boyfriend she swore she'd never speak to again."


So here's the deal, chick finds love, loses said love, loses parents (why not), gets caught up in an interstellar war, interacts with artificial intelligence, and also gets caught in the fray of infected individuals which makes for great character building. 

The main thing I want to point out is the unique plot progression of the story. It's honestly nothing I've seen before. Basically the book is a series of documents, audio transcripts, military files, psychological musings of aforementioned AI and strategically censored blackouts. It read quite seamlessly even in the transitioning of documents, the perks of this kind of writing allows maps, behind-the-scenes-planning-that-will-soon-bite-the-arse-of-the-protagonist-to-be-fleshed-out, and creative digression in the layout. 

Yep, have a page dedicated to the word "silence" (*grammar Nazis feel an excruciating pain in their proverbial heart*) and have it positioned to the right about three-quarters down the page for dramatic emphasis [p49]. Totalling 600 pages, don't mistaken this to be a LoTR novel because in actuality, a considerable amount of pages (if not all the pages) are not full... if that makes any sense. To give you some confidence there are 6 consecutive pages in one section that has a total of seventeen words. [pp578-583] 


SPOILER ALERT ~ SPOILER ALERT ~ SPOILER ALERT  

You know Adian, right? OK I have to admit, I had a love-hate relationship with him. Oh man, I hated him so much when he said he was pretending to be Ezra. That broke me. Also the fact that you were engrossed in the mind/thinking process of an AI just made the scene all the better. The sardonic big brother was humorous as much as he was cold hearted heartless. 

When I was OK with the fact that Kady was going to die, she backflips and makes it home after exploring two juggernaut space ships. Which makes sense because this will be a trilogy.  


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Local MBASSY @ Ultimo // Review

Ladies and gentlemen, this is not a drill.

If you have never been here and had the iconic red velvet hot cakes/pancakes , you cannot die happy or satisfied and enter into whatever after world you believe in.

You know how on cooking shows often feature food critics that offer nothing but hostile and blank faces as they chew and before they can even indicate whether or not it's divine or deathly, the video producer barks from his tall canvas chair, "QUE THE AD BREAK!" Well, after the ad break, they use frivolous and fancy words, strange analogies and spin antidotes like, "oh it just melts in your mouth!" Well, in actuality the pancakes did.

AND IT WAS GLORIOUS. BUT ALSO BITTER SWEET.

My vegetarian companion (bless her humanitarian intentions) ordered the pumpkin salad with beetroot, fetta, tomato and pine nuts. Which, not be overshadowed by the pancakes, was refreshing and very filling!

310 Wattle St, Ultimo NSW 2007

AMBIANCE: 4/5 (exposed brick and piping)
COFFEE: 4/5 (great value)





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Wednesday, 23 December 2015

Le Monde Cafe @ Surry Hills // Review

It's been a while since the last brunch but with the excuse to also see friends again - not sure if more excited for food or friends?! :P

Le Monde is a small cafe space where you and your friends can inhabit a corner by the cushions and talk for ages while the counter bustles with takeaway coffee and croissant orders. It's a nice mix!


It's nice and quiet during a weekday with the only sounds being nearby chatter and the grinding of the coffee. Natural light floods through the windows and along with some indoor lights, create a dim but well lit space for a sunny brunch! 



 


We ordered the Matcha pancakes ($16), Pulled pork ($18) and the Bacon Egg Roll Special ($10).

I'm a sucker for all things matcha so I loved the fluffiness of the pancakes with that slight bitterness of green tea! What totally completed the dish was that coffee expresso syrup. It was definitely one of the most delicious and different pancake flavour combinations I've had! Total winner! I now need this coffee syrup in my life!



 


And for the other dishes (on the Specials chalkboard), the pulled pork was just the right texture and softness but the bread was a little hard and a mission with the cutlery! Surprisingly the bacon and egg roll was pretty good for its price. The waiter took it out and it was so loaded!

Not sure if anything else on the menu will bring me back anytime soon since it doesn't have as many daring fusion choices as most modern cafes. But I still loved the oxymoronic quiet/bustling atmosphere on the two opposite sides of the cafe! They do a pretty good capucinno too!




Three word summary: Cosy, modern, detached
Ambience 4/5
Fare $-$$
Service 4/5
Foodwise 4/5

Have a fab summer
MVPD xx







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Sunday, 20 December 2015

Hakiki Turkish Ice Creamery @ Enmore // Review

Something about the name makes me think of tropical island flavors but those kind of ice creameries are so yesterday and we were feeling something more exotic and traditional!



Turkish ice cream looks like the 'normal', humble ice cream....until you take a spoon from it! It just keeps dragging out like I doesn't want to be eaten = The Australian Summer ice-cream-melting issue solved! Apparently Turkish ice cream is traditionally eaten with knife (no spooning here!) and fork.

 

1. You don't just go here and get some simpleton caramel flavour (even they're way too good for that).
2. You also don't just go in for one scoop especially when you have your eyes on four different flavours!


Here's our guide on what flavours were our favs:

Baklava: What's better than baklava? Baklava ice cream that's what. We loved the fillo pastry bits - just the way it soaks up some of the ice cream but still gives a chewy change in texture makes me feel so happy and zen!

Rock melon and feta: yes you read this right! Great balanced combination of salty and sweet I don't know how I didn't discover this before! Who even thought of this (next best after Bill Gates clearly)!

Grape molasses & tahini: the halva were amazing little crumbly chunks made from tahini that I just looked forward to throughout this whole flavour.

Caramelized fig and walnut: what is a Turkish bazaar without the sweet, distinct perfume of figs of late summer afternoons?

 


Of course there are many other flavours but we didn't want to hit them all in one go! There needs to be an excuse for a second visit!!

Next time you brunch or dinner in Newtown we highly recommend you stop at the dinner menu and trek it past Gelato Blue (sorry), N2 and Cloud9 as your portal to Turkey awaits you!

10/10 ice cream! You can't really compare it to Messina and Cow and Moon in terms of flavour since they're so different (Hello feta + melon!?)!!

 

Buuut if my taste buds served me right, I think Turkish ice cream is traditionally a little sweeter! Who's complaining?

Our advice: 'go large or go home'



Where you'll find it:
Shop 1, 63-71 Enmore Rd, Newtown

MVPD xoxo







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Thursday, 17 December 2015

Sunday, 13 December 2015

#5 The Importance of Loving Yourself

Even as I write this—I’m doubting myself. Have I reached a designated check point to even reliably write something like this? Perhaps the question is, do I even love myself?

For now, at this particular moment, I say yes. I think learning to love yourself and give yourself time and nourishment to grow individually is so important. Not important because I’m only 18, nor is it important because everyone says it’s important. But rather, because to love yourself puts you on stable foundations for the rest of your life.

That is not to say you can’t have moments of disappointment. It is OK to not always be happy, so long as you proactively consider your situation and take measures to proceed.

Always proceed.

That brings me nicely to the next point of this musing.

There is no such thing as regret.

Consider this; you've hooked up with a particular someone you should not have even in the first place (there was alcohol involved).

Let me unpack this simply, painlessly and easily.

If you cannot change the past, whats the point in dwelling. Yes, you can formulate other actions that would/should be taken next time should you find yourself in that same predicament. But regret is so socially constructed. It demands we reprimand ourselves on things that we have done, diluting the lesson we have learnt in the process. Regret is a giant black cesspit. Don't give it your valuable time.  
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Tuesday, 24 November 2015

The Little Snail @ Darling Harbour // Review

French food is one of those cuisines that I've been dying to try for ages! They're definitely not as common as your thai food joint in every suburb! Like "let's go get French" said no one ever! Not hating on crepes but they're too easy to come by nowadays! I mean your ratatouille, snails and more snails!


So getting treated at the Little Snail at Darling Harbour for my birthday was one of the most amazing intangible gifts you could get! I feel nowadays I'm more for experience rather than the materialism. My friend dines here often so he knew which dishes were en pointe!

Oui oui I felt like being adventurous with my menu choice and I definitely have no regrets!

Here's the breakdown:
Entree:
"Escargots de Bourgogne" aka marinated sea snails in a buttery sauce
How fittingly french, you use the pitch fork thing to twist it out of the shell and dip it in the pool of garlicky, buttery goodness. 10/10
"Mushroom and Leek Crepe" (pronounce with French accent)
For a friend who vows never to be vego, this dish is the exception so enough said I guess?



Mains:
Kangaroo Fillet with Dijon and honey bordelaise sauce
I'm all for the 'well done' and almost got frowned upon for asking. Medium is as cooked as it gets and the thinly sliced kangaroo was amazing - soft and slightly crispy on the skin. Didn't take much convincing from the French waiter and I think I'm converted to medium cooked now!

"Cote de Veau" aka Veal Tenderloin with champignon and chardonnay beurre blanc
Lets also admire that potato croquette on the side please! All meat on point!




Desserts:
Belgian Chocolate Gateau 
No words for this gateau (it was out of this world) and the sweet candy sorbet complimented the dark choc so nicely with a fruity tang!
Kahlua Infused Chocolate Mousse
Two questions: 1. How did the chef put this together and 2. How do you eat it like a lady without a deconstructed mess on the plate? (It is perfectly possible!!)Well not too shabby for my very first French cuisine experience. :P
The mango cocktail was a great choice to accompany the food. I'm not much of a wine enthusiast but that wine was definitely a winner too (but cocktails any day!)

The staff were so great you couldn't help blanking out and just admiring their accents! I can't imagine a better venue and interior design with the windows shedding sunset light onto the plates! We came at the early end of dinner so it was  a nice busy. So chuffed afterwards (and keen to burn some of that dessert off with a walk around Darling Harbour!!)


Three word summary: Transported, Delicate, Serene
Ambience 5/5

Fare $$$
Service 5/5
Foodwise 5/5

Ciao 
MVPD xx







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